Government to regulate churches with new policy

The government is determined to regulate all religious institutions in the country. This follows reports of manipulation, financial misconduct, and harmful doctrines in churches.

The Religious Faith Organisations (RFO) policy began in 2016. It faced strong opposition from some born-again church leaders. They have repeatedly called for the policy to be shelved.

In June 2015, President Museveni established a department of religious affairs. This department monitors and advises the government on religious organizations.

On June 4, 2025, a pre-validation meeting was held for the RFO policy. The national validation exercise is scheduled for June 26, 2025.

Officials from various organizations attended the meeting. These included representatives from the Uganda Human Rights Commission and Members of Parliament.

Mr. Joel Wanjala spoke at the consultations. He highlighted concerns about misuse of religious platforms for personal gain. He emphasized that this situation cannot continue.

He noted that without a structured mechanism, public order and citizen welfare are at risk. The National NGO Policy of 2010 identified gaps but did not include faith-based organizations' registration.

There is a need for a legal framework to address spiritual and operational aspects of these institutions. So far, no tailored policy has been implemented.

Dr. Patricia Achan Okiria supported the new policy during consultations. She said it would strengthen ties between the government and religious institutions.

The policy acknowledges their contributions to healthcare and education but emphasizes regulation for harmony. She dismissed fears that it would interfere with offertory collections or church operations.

Rev. Canon Aaron Mwesigye discussed delays in implementing this policy due to differing opinions. He stated that while worship freedom exists, its exercise needs clarification under the constitution.

Mr. Stephen Tanyebwa from Phaneroo Ministries raised concerns about generalizing issues within churches. He argued that existing laws can address criminality without creating new regulations specifically for churches.

Members of different MDAs posed for a group photo after the pre-validation meeting on June 4, 2025.